American professor Noam Chomsky is among those who have recently come to the defense of St David’s Hall and some other cultural sites in Cardiff as the council plans to cut spending. Speaking at St David’s Hall in 2011, Professor Chomsky was sympathetic to the campaign against the Academy Music Group’s (AMG) proposed multi-billion takeover of the classical music institution.

Cardiff Council said the move, along with a proposal to move the Cardiff Museum from its Old Library home to Hayes and plans to change the library’s opening hours, could save significant money as it faces a £23.5 million. budget gap. The latest round of support for the opposition campaign comes ahead of a planned march through the city center on Saturday 18 February in defiance of the council’s budget plans.

In a letter to activists, Professor Chomsky wrote: “Ten years ago I had the great privilege of speaking in St David’s Hall, a public space of such importance to a vibrant and functioning democratic community. It would be a shame. see it lost in private hands. British classical singer Elizabeth Atherton said the potential takeover of St David’s Hall was extremely worrying.

Read more: ‘Letter sent to competition regulator fearing the St David’s Hall deal could lead to a monopoly on the venue

He added: “I urge councilors to review this ill-advised plan and start listening to the communities they are supposed to represent before it is too late and St David’s Hall is forever lost to the people of Wales for the purpose for which it was designed. . “. to participate.” AMG’s proposal to lease St David’s Hall on a long-term basis was approved in principle by the Cardiff cabinet in December.

The local authority insists that protecting St David’s classical music program will be a top priority in any deal. As part of its offer, AMG said it would commit to 60 days during the event’s peak period and an additional 25 off-peak days to ensure time for events including the Cardiff Singer of the World and Welsh Proms.

Once the contract for the business has been drawn up, the board will publish what is called a VEAT notice, which is used to announce the business intent to the wider market. This allows competitors to challenge the proposal, leading to an acquisition process. A VEAT notice is generally valid for approximately 10 to 20 days. If no appeal is filed by the end of the VEAT period, the final report will be submitted to the board office for a decision. This is expected to happen in March.

Meanwhile, the Root Local History Society recently asked the council to reconsider its proposal for the Cardiff Museum. As part of budget consultations, the board proposed turning the museum into a mobile attraction.

In a letter to Cardiff Council leader, Councilor Hugh Thomas, the society’s president, Dr. Gareth Brown, wrote: “We do not see how this proposal will improve the profile and visibility of the museum to tourists. Indeed, it would be a shame to try to explain to visitors that the museum is not in the center of Cardiff, but in a mobile location outside the centre, possibly not even accessible all year round.

“By closing the museum, Cardiff is undermining its ability to promote its museums for tourism purposes. This is in stark contrast to other cities, such as Liverpool, which use museums to provide engaging experiences for visitors.”

Speaking at the launch of the budget consultation in December, Cardiff Council Finance, Efficiency and Modernization Cabinet Member Chris Weaver said: “The cost of living crisis has hit every household’s budget in Wales, as well as all services provided by the City Council. .

“It means that everything we do, every service we offer, costs a lot more.” Referring to the £23.5m budget deficit, Cllr Weaver added: “That’s still a lot of money, especially after around a quarter of a billion has been cut from our budget over the last 10 years.”

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Source: Wales Online